


Learning to Live Again

by Isilarma



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Drama, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Loneliness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-07
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2017-12-22 18:03:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/916346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isilarma/pseuds/Isilarma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pitch has been defeated. The lights are shining again. All is well. But can things stay that way? The Guardians aren't perfect, and Jack has been alone for three hundred years. Nobody ever said this was going to be easy. A collection of oneshots showing how allies became a family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alone

**Author's Note:**

> I know I'm meant to be writing the next chapter of 'Strange Visitors,' but writer's block has struck again and so I'm attempting to cure it by getting a few plot bunnies out of my head. This will be updated as and when I get ideas, so I can't promise regular updates, but I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians; everything belongs to William Joyce and DreamWorks Animation.

Jack Frost liked being a Guardian. He really did. He liked being able to talk to the kids he played with, and he liked being able to call for help if he needed it. Not that he had had to yet, but it was nice to have the option. It made a change to be able to be able to chat to Bunny without getting his head bitten off, and have Sandy fly with him when he needed a break was always fun. He liked hearing the fairies chirp at him as they darted past, and he definitely liked being able to visit the Workshop whenever he felt like it.

Yes, it was good to be a Guardian.

But that didn't mean Jack was completely happy.

At times, it was all too much. After three hundred years of solitude, it was hard to adapt to so much attention. Sometimes, he found himself wishing for some peace and quiet.

In the end, he couldn't quite bring himself to forget those three centuries. And it made him just a little bit mad that the others seemed to do so so easily. They had all apologised, and now they seemed to think it was all better. One big happy family.

But Jack found he still had problems with people, and with noise, and with being a proper, responsible Guardian. And whenever North sighed at him, or Tooth corrected him, or Bunny stood there and rolled his eyes, he couldn't help but let the anger build. What did they expect?

It couldn't last. Sooner or later, it would come to a head.

It turned out to be sooner. And it all began with a simple remark.

"Jack!" North boomed. "We were worried about you."

"Well, that makes a change," Jack muttered. Sandy shot him a quizzical look, and he shook his head. "Doesn't matter." He wasn't trying to be rude, but it had been a long day, and his temper was a little frayed. Despite what some people seemed to think, there was more involved to being a Spirit of Winter than starting snowball fights. Tooth whizzed over to hover beside him.

"I'm so glad you could make it, Jack. We haven't had one of these meetings – first bicuspid, Singapore! – for a while now."

"I'm just glad to get the invite," Jack said.

Bunny snorted. "Not like we were gonna forget you is it?"

Jack's eyes narrowed. It wasn't like it would be the first time, and it was all he could do to hold the words back. He turned away abruptly only for Sandy to tug at his sleeve, deep concern reflected in his eyes.

"I'm fine. Busy day."

"This looks like a bit more than a busy day, mate."

Bunny had followed him. Great.

"Well, it's not."

Bunny tilted his head to one side. "You're not always a people person, are ya?"

Jack bit back a bitter laugh. Seriously, what did they expect? It was all he could do to keep the anger from his voice. "I was. Three hundred years changes a person a bit."

Bunny's ears drooped. "That was a long time," he said softly.

"Too long." He dug his hands into his pockets to glare out the window. "I hated every second of it."

Bunny sighed. "We know, Jack. And we do understand."

Jack froze. "What did you just say?"

"Jack-"

"You understand? You understand?" Jack found his voice was rising, and could not bring himself to care. "What could you possibly know about being alone?"

Bunny's green eyes widened, but Jack was too incensed to stop. "Children believe in you! They see you! They love you! You've never known what it is to be all alone, to have no one but yourself. And even if the kids aren't always there, you have each other! And you have your yetis and fairies, and stupid walking eggs, and none of you have any idea, what it is to be totally alone." His voice cracked. "To have no one who cares about you, no one who even knows your name... How can any of you possibly understand what that feels like?"

"Jack," North began warily.

"No!" This had gone on long enough. "You don't get to tell me to stop now. You don't get to leave me alone for three hundred years and then tell me what to do!" Ice crackled on the tip of his staff as he pointed it as Bunny. "And you definitely don't get to tell me you understand what it's like. You have no idea, and you never, ever will."

There was complete silence. Jack fully expected Bunny to draw himself and fight back. To defend his position, to try to give some stupid excuse, to try to prove that he really did empathise. Jack expected that, and he was fully prepared to hammer his point into the giant rabbit's thick skull until he got it.

But Bunny didn't argue. He didn't actually say anything. He just stood there, staring at Jack and for once there was absolutely no antagonism in his eyes.

In fact, he gave no reaction at all.

It was more than disconcerting. Bunny was gruff and reserved, but he was one of the most expressive people Jack knew. His body, his face, his ears, his eyes... They betrayed every feeling, every fleeting emotion.

Now, there was nothing.

Jack didn't like it. And he definitely didn't like feeling like he had done something wrong.

"I'm getting some air," he muttered.

"Jack," Tooth called, but her words fell on deaf ears. Jack leapt from the window, and the wind whipped him away.

Jack didn't have a destination in mind. He simply let the wind carry him wherever it may. Flying had always served to clear his head, but, for once, the freedom did nothing to help. With a sigh, he landed lightly on a rocky outcropping and leaned on his staff.

He had meant what he said. The other Guardians were doing their best, but the past wasn't forgotten that easily. Three hundred years couldn't just be wiped away.

Jack's hands clenched into fists. How was he supposed to let this go? It had been three hundred years! North and Bunny could visit every child on the planet in less than twelve hours; how had none of them been able to talk to one spirit? Admittedly, Bunny had always had a word for him, even if it was just to yell at him for freezing his whiskers, and Sandy had always seemed glad of a bit of company, but they were so busy that they had never been able to stop. And after '68, Bunny had stopped passing by altogether.

Three hundred years. And he had the nerve to say that he understood. How could anyone possibly understand this?

Jack closed his eyes. He was so tired of it all. Sometimes he almost wished he had never been chosen as a Guardian.

The hum of wings was lost in the howling winds, and so the gentle hand that rested on his shoulder took him completely by surprise.

"Jack? Are you all right?"

Jack flinched away from the touch. "I'm fine."

Tooth's eyes narrowed. "Jack-"

"What do you want, Tooth?"

"Just to see if you were all right," she said softly.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Really? You're not going to yell at me?"

Tooth just gave a sad smile. "Why would I yell at you for being right?"

Jack froze. "Huh?"

"I said, you were right. Me, North, Sandy... None of us have ever been totally alone like that. We don't understand. And we can never apologise enough for making you go through it."

Jack ducked his head, anger tempered by her honesty. "At least you're trying now." A thought struck him and he frowned. "Hang on, what about Bunny?"

"What about him?"

"You said you didn't understand, but you never said anything about Bunny."

Tooth looked away. "Because Bunny may understand more than you realise."

Jack snorted. "Bunny? How could he?"

Tooth looked away. "That's something you'll have to ask him."

"I'll pass, thanks."

"Jack-"

"Look, he doesn't like me, and I don't like him. Maybe it's for the best if we just stay away from each other."

Tooth just looked at him. "Do you really mean that?"

Jack opened his mouth, an angry retort, but for some reason he found himself hesitating. As angry as he was, Bunny had been the first to acknowledge him all those years ago, albeit just to yell at him. Maybe it was for that reason that Jack had always wanted his approval the most out of all the Guardians.

But it didn't look like that was ever going to happen.

"Yeah. I do."

"Well too bad, Frosty," came a familiar voice from behind him. "'Cause you ain't getting a choice in the matter."

Jack whirled round, his staff rising automatically. "What do you want?"

Bunny raised his hands. "Easy, Frostbite. I just came to talk."

"Well, I don't want to talk to you." He turned, intent on summoning the winds, only for Tooth to catch his arm.

"Jack, wait."

"What? I don't want-"

"Jack, you're a Guardian now. We don't always have the luxury of getting what we want, and you need to sort this out." She sighed. "Just hear him out, all right?"

Jack glared at her. "Fine. But then that's it."

"That's all I'm asking." She brushed his hair back lightly, nodded to Bunny, and then there was a blur of colour and she was gone.

Jack folded his arms, pointedly looking everywhere except at his companion. He knew that as Guardians they had to cooperate, but Bunny's words still burned in his mind. If it weren't for the kids...

But the kids always came first.

Jack turned back to see Bunny still watching him, and he felt his anger build. "Well, say something then." He wanted Bunny to argue, to fight back, and so was startled to see Bunny staring at his feet.

"What's the matter? You were the one who wanted to talk."

He was completely unprepared for the words that came out of the big rabbit's mouth.

"I lost my family too, Jack."

Jack's mouth opened and closed for a good few seconds. Bunny continued to speak, his green eyes staring out into the distance. "My parents, my siblings, my cousins... I lost them all."

"I'm sorry," Jack whispered. The face of his sister blazed in his mind, bringing with it a familiar ache. With an effort, he forced the sensation away. "But you still weren't alone. You had North, and Sandy, and –"

"You don' understand," said Bunny quietly. "They died long before I became a Guardian."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "How long? A few years? Sorry to break it to you, but that isn't the same." He shook his head. "Look, I'm sorry they died, but that doesn't give you the right-"

"Millennia."

Jack's retort died on his lips. "What?"

Bunny closed his eyes. "They've been dead for millennia."

"But...but that's impossible."

Bunny just looked at him. "Newsflash, Frostbite; we're immortal."

Jack had to lean on his staff for support, his mind was spinning so fast. "But that would make you..." His voice trailed off as his eyes widened.

Bunny nodded. "Older than North," he said softly. "Older than Tooth, older than Manny. Heck, I've probably been around even longer than Sandy."

Jack wanted to argue. He wanted to say that Bunny was lying, that he was making it up to try to get sympathy. But then he saw Bunny's eyes, and it would take a dozen lifetimes to accumulate the pain and wisdom that he saw reflected in them.

Bunny wasn't lying. In a way, that was even worse.

"Frostbite? You all right?"

Jack would have laughed if he could have done so without throwing up. How could he possibly be all right?

"Jack?"

"I'm fine," Jack managed to mumble.

Bunny's eyes narrowed. "Sit down. You look like you're about to fall over."

Jack was only too happy to obey. All his earlier anger had fled leaving nothing but shame and self-loathing in its place. And this time, the other Guardian had been carrying this, and Jack hadn't had a clue. Even worse, he had actually envied him.

"So I guess you actually do get it," he whispered.

Bunny just nodded. Jack ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry."

"Don' be. You couldn' have known."

"Still shouldn't have said it," Jack mumbled. He paused and took a deep breath. "There's still something I don't understand though."

"Why did we leave you all alone?"

Jack nodded, still gazing out over the snow. "You must have known what it was like. How hard it would be." He kept his voice level; there was no anger now, only a need to know why. "Why didn't you ever come?"

Bunny sighed and squatted next to him. "Because I didn't realise how bad it was for you."

Jack stared at him. "Nobody could see me! How could it be anything but bad?"

"Because you were never unhappy. At least, not when I was there." He shook his head. "Heck, the first time I saw you, you dumped a ton of snow on my head."

"That was an accident," Jack protested. "I was so startled that someone could see me I forgot I had it ready."

"You laughed for five minutes straight!"

Jack had to smile at the memory. "Well, it was funny."

Bunny rolled his eyes. "See? I thought you were dealing with it all right."

Jack's smile faded. "I wasn't. I didn't even know who I was."

"And we didn't know that," said Bunny softly. "None of the other elementals ever had problems with their memories."

Jack glanced up, the phrasing not escaping his notice. "What about you?"

"I never died." Pain flickered across his face. "And honestly, I wouldn' mind losing some of these memories."

Jack flinched at the reminder, but he still had questions. "You really didn't know?"

Bunny shook his head. "You heard Tooth, didn' you? If she'd known, she'd a given them to you in a heartbeat. Once she'd looked at your teeth o'course." His voice softened. "I know we let you down, Jack. We should have paid more attention, especially when you started getting more extravagant."

"I was trying to get your attention," Jack mumbled.

Bunny sighed. "I'm sorry for yellin' at you."

"I did kinda ruin Easter." And now that he'd seen how badly affected Bunny could be by that, the apology didn't make him feel nearly as good as it should have.

"Yeah, but the kids found the eggs the next day. Not quite the same, but they still appreciated it."

Jack nodded. "Good." He tipped his head back to look at the sky. "If you'd known what it was like, would you have come?" He was careful to avoid looking at Bunny. If the answer was a negative...

So he was taken completely by surprise when he was pulled into a tight embrace.

"Course we would ya bloody gumbie."

Jack had no idea how to react. Bunny held him firmly, not tightly enough to be uncomfortable, but enough that he knew he was safe. Kind of how he had used to hold Emma when she was scared. Part of him wanted to make a sarcastic comment, or push Bunny away, but by the time he could think of anything, he found he had already relaxed into his friend's arms.

"Turning soft?"

Well, he wouldn't be Jack Frost if he could halt the sarcasm completely. There was a soft snort.

"I'm a bunny, mate. What did you expect?" After a minute he added more quietly, "I am sorry, Jack."

Jack pulled back to look him in the eye. "I know. And I still can't say I'm happy about it." Bunny's ears dropped, but Jack didn't give him a chance to interrupt. "But I also know that you're making up for it."

"Tryin' to," said Bunny softly.

Jack nodded. "I know," he repeated. North's parties, Tooth's enthusiasm... They were all trying.

And that... that was enough.

"Bunny?"

"Yeah, Frosty?"

"I'm sorry about your family."

Bright eyes visibly dimmed before Bunny looked away. "Was a long time ago, mate."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Bunny's jaw tightened. "No offense mate, but I really don' wanna talk about it."

Once, Jack would have pressed the matter, but he recognised the note of danger in Bunny's voice. Every muscle in the big rabbit's body was tense as a coiled spring. Besides, there were some lines you didn't cross. Jack Frost was cold, but he wasn't heartless.

"Sorry," he whispered.

Bunny glanced back at him and sighed. "Look, ask North to tell you about the Pookas. I just... I can' talk about it."

Jack nodded. "All right." A thought struck him. "Wait, you're a Pooka?"

"What did'ya think I was?"

"Er, a bunny? You know, because of the whole 'I'm a bunny' thing."

"Well, I couldn' exactly go round tellin' everyone I was a time 'n space traveller, could I?"

Jack's mouth fell open. "Space and time? Are you kidding me?"

"Nuh uh. Did it for a few thousand years before... Well, before I came to earth."

Jack heard his voice falter, and cast about for a distraction. "You must have seen some pretty cool stuff."

"Pretty cool? Mate, I could tell you things that would make your hair curl."

Perfect. "Go on then."

Bunny blinked. "Huh?"

"Tell me a story."

Bunny stared at him. "You're really interested?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Well, duh. You travelled in space!" He frowned. "Unless you don't want to."

"No, no, it's fine," said Bunny quickly. "Been a while since I thought about those days." For a moment he appeared lost in thought, before he shook himself. "But I think I can find a tale or two for ya."

"Awesome." He settled himself more comfortably and looked up at him expectantly. Bunny hesitated, but after a minute he gave a low chuckle.

"All right then." He sat down next to Jack, seemingly heedless of the icy temperatures. "S'ppose it's the least I can do."

Jack grinned and leaned back against him. "Whenever you're ready then."

"Cheeky brat."

"All part of my charm."

"D'ya want to talk, or are ya gonna listen to the story?"

"Stowee, pweese!"

"Then shut up. An' stop doin' that." His voice took on a more rhythmic quality. "An' listen to the time I met an alien who lived in a bright blue box."

"Must have been a big box."

"Frost..."

"Not another word. See?" He mimed zipping his lips. Bunny rolled his eyes.

"Oh, spare me."

But his arm wrapped around Jack's shoulders, and he didn't stop talking. Jack closed his eyes, letting the words wash over him.

It was going to take time to get used to being a Guardian. There were still things he was going to have problems with, and issues he would need to sort out. It wasn't going to be easy.

But he wouldn't have to do it alone. And that made all the difference.


	2. Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"How did I let you talk me into this?"

Jack had to bite his cheek to keep from grinning. Sandy and Tooth exchanged amused looks as North clapped Bunny on the back. "Because it will be fun!"

Bunny ducked away, his face still set in a frown. "Fun? Y'know some of us have our own stuff to do."

"Why don't you think of it as practice?" Jack suggested.

Bunny's eyes narrowed. "Practice?"

"Yeah. You'll be doing it again in a couple of months; you might as well find out now if you need to go on a diet."

"A diet?"

North gave a great booming laugh. "He has a point."

"I'm not the only one who might want to consider that," Bunny muttered, with a very pointed look at North's shaking belly, but Sandy drew a picture of a sleigh next to a running bunny and North only just laughed harder. Tooth didn't even try to hide her own giggles and Jack allowed himself to relax.

Winter was always a bus period for Jack. Even before he had become a Guardian he had always felt a need to spread snow, and the feelings had only been enhanced with his new abilities. Add to that his additional responsibilities as a Guardian, and the past couple of months had been busy to say the least. He'd barely seen his fellow Guardians; occasionally he'd spot Sandy or one of Tooth's fairies, but North had been frantically preparing for Christmas, and even Bunny was starting his own preparations. With the children's faith so shaky, no one could afford any mishaps, and so no one had found the time to arrange a meeting.

As was not unusual, it had been North who had corrected that situation, and he had done so with his usual enthusiasm.

"We have to deliver all of these?"

"You deliver more eggs than this every year," Tooth pointed out.

"Yeah, but that's different."

"Aw, c'mon Bunny," said Jack. "It'll be fun." He picked up the nearest package and rattled it. "Wonder what they're getting."

North reached out and gently plucked it from his hand. "They will find out later."

Jack gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

North ruffled his hair fondly. "Quite all right. Just be careful. Some of these are breakable, and we don't want to upset Phil, do we?"

"Can we just get on with this?" asked Bunny plaintively. "Some of us actually feel the cold you know."

North rolled his eyes. "Where is your Christmas spirit, Bunny?"

"I'm the Easter Bunny!"

"Can we argue later?" asked Tooth. "The children are waiting." Sandy nodded emphatically, his sand spinning around his head in patterns too fast for Jack to interpret. Jack looked at North.

"So how are we going to do this?"

North clapped his hands. "I have it all planned. Sandy, you and I will take Asia. Tooth, Africa. Bunny, you can go to Australia."

Bunny's ears flicked. "I c'n do that."

"What about me?" demanded Jack. Hopefully he'd get North America; he'd be able to stop by and visit Jamie. It had been too long since he'd seen his first believer and his friends.

"You will be delivering to the children of Europe."

Jack did his best to hide his disappointment. He would still be bringing joy to children, and he could always visit Jamie afterwards. "Europe. Cool."

North's eyes twinkled and he clapped Jack on the shoulder. "Good. Then we will all meet up to do the Americas. Make it a family thing, as you say."

"That sounds like a lovely idea," said Tooth cheerfully.

"Could be worse," Bunny allowed, but Jack could see the sparkle in his bright green eyes. Sandy was practically vibrating with excitement, and Tooth was talking so fast to so many fairies that Jack didn't know how anyone could understand her. The fairies seemed happy enough though, whizzing off through the open window even as more flew in. North beamed round at them all.

"Is all sorted then. Everyone ready?"

Jack grinned at Bunny. "Bet I'm finished before you."

"What did I tell you about trying to race a bunny, mate?"

"Neither of you will beat the sleigh," North announced.

"We'll see about that."

Jack coughed. "Er, we'd better catch up." Tooth and Sandy had taken the rather more practical option of getting started. Bunny gave a muffled curse, then grabbed his sack and opened a tunnel. North tossed Jack a snow globe.

"Good luck."

Jack had been slightly wary when Jack proposed the idea. He was far more used to bringing snow than actually visiting homes. Sure he had helped Tooth with the teeth, but that had been just a regular thing. This was Christmas. If Jack screwed this up the way he had Easter...

No. That was not going to happen. It was just delivering a few presents. Easy.

And, to his surprise, it was. Jack would enter each house, slip the right present into the stockings and disappear again. Occasionally he would add a few decorations, frosted patterns here, ice sculptures there, but he kept moving. After all, there were lots of children in the world, and only a few hours in the night.

"Told you I'd win."

Jack pulled a face. "I had more kids to visit."

"You keep telling yourself that," Bunny drawled.

North coughed loudly. "We argue later. Now, we have a schedule to keep."

With an effort, Jack pulled his attention back to the present. "You know I can't really do South America, right? The whole heat thing-"

"Yes, yes, I know. Bunny and Tooth will handle that part."

"Great. So I was thinking I could maybe-"

"You will take Canada and Alaska, yes?" North interrupted. "Plenty cold for you there."

Jack stared at him, this time unable to hide his dismay. "But what about-"

"Then it is all settled," said North loudly. "Now we had best be on our way."

Jack opened his mouth to protest, but there was a sudden rush of portals and tunnels and then he was standing alone in workshop.

For a long moment, Jack couldn't move. All the joy of the past few hours had completely disappeared, leaving an emptiness that was all the worse for it. In the months since Pitch's defeat he had begun to think that he belonged with the Guardians, that maybe he had finally found somewhere he belonged, and people who accepted him for who he was.

Would he ever be that lucky?

Jack's hands curled into fists as anger surged up in him. All he wanted to do was visit his friends at Christmas, and yet that was the one thing he couldn't do. They didn't even have the excuse of ignorance; he had spent most of the earlier meeting telling everyone who would listen just what would make his perfect Christmas. The Bennetts had been at the top of the list, and his so-called friends had done this.

He never should have thought he could trust them.

Jack took a deep breath and forced his anger to one side. This wasn't the time to get angry. As upset as he was, the last thing he wanted was a whole bunch of upset kids. He could wait until later to tell the rest of the Guardians exactly what he thought of them.

Jack set about delivering the presents, but this time he couldn't take any pleasure. Try as he might, he couldn't stop his mind drifting to his fellow Guardians. He didn't leave any extra decorations.

A few hours later Jack dropped off the last of the presents and paused to think. He could go home, but if there were any presents North had forgotten he had better make sure they got delivered. No need for anyone else to be disappointed today. He spotted a string of dream sand and leapt into the winds.

"What kept you?" drawled Bunny as Jack landed.

"All done," he muttered. "Can I go now?" He'd wait until the morning to start shouting. It would give him time to think up some decent insults.

"Actually," said North, "there's a few more to go."

Jack frowned. "Well you can handle those, right? Some of us have jobs that don't end in one night."

North's eyes twinkled as he held out a bag. "Why don't you take a look first?"

Jack was incredibly tempted to refuse. To throw the bag down and tell them to go stuff themselves. But this wasn't about them. This was about the kids. He sighed and took the bag. "Why me?"

"Just open the bag so we can all get on with this," called Bunny.

Jack shot him a glare but the retort died on his lips as he saw the first label. "Cupcake." He looked up to find North beaming at him.

"Keep going."

Jack dug back into the bag. "Monty," he read. "Pippa, Claude, Caleb..." His voice cracked as he drew out the last two. "Sophie and Jamie."

Bunny ruffled his hair. "You didn't really think we wouldn't let you see them, did ya?"

Jack didn't speak. He couldn't. He stared round at his friends, North with his beaming smile, Tooth buzzing happily in midair, Sandy's sand a blazing halo around his head, and Bunny watching him with unveiled amusement. "Thank you," he whispered.

Bunny grinned and pulled him into a hug. "Merry Christmas, Jack."

And for once it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone!


End file.
